Spike-holder.



H. 0. CRIPPEN.

SPIKE HOLDER.

APPLIOATION Hmm 11:13.23, 1909.

941,621. I Patented Nov. 30,1909.

UNITED sirAr- Es ieirgraivr OFFICE.

nEmaEa'r o. cEIrrEN, or EoUIsvILLE, xENTUcxY.

SPIKE-HOLDER.

To all 'whom 'it may concern: ,I

Be it known that I, HERBERT O. CRIPPEN,

a citizen of. the-United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Spike- Holders, of which the following 1s a speellication.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in track equipment for railways, and the "invention has f or 1ts object an improved s ike holder which 1s adapted to be applic to the rail 1n a pe. culiar manner, and is arranged to extend across the head of a spike in order to edectually maintain the same against any loosening movement, the holder also serving as a shield to prevent the elements from entering the tie through the opening made by the spike, as is likely to result in the tie becoming rotted.

A. further object of the invention is an improved spike holder which is susceptible of use in connection with the ordinary rails and the wooden ties in general use, and which may be applied to a track that has been already laid without the necessity of disturbing the same, the holder being also adapted to be quickly .attached to the rail,

and being retained positively in position thereon and requiring no subsequent attention, thus eecting a material economy in the cost of construction and maintenance of the track.

A still further object of the invention is a holder of this character which is constructed of an integral strip of sheet metal and i consists essentially jof a clip for embracing the base flange of the rail, and for engaging the spike, the clip being formed with a tension plate arranged to snap under the head of the rail to prevent the accidental displacement of the holder, and at the same time brace the rail.

Vith these and other objects in view that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain construhtions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe, and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

F or a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and toy acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following delower member bein latented Nov. 30, 1909.

scriptlon and accompanying drawing, in which: v I Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view lllustratin the application of my improved slplke hol er; Fig. 2 is a transverse section t ereof; F1g.3 is a similar View illustrating the manner of placing the holder in position; Flg. 4 1s a perspective view of another embodlment of the invention; and, Fig. 5 1s an enlarged fragmentary view thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to 1n the following description and indicated 1n all the views .of the drawing by the same reference characters.

My improved spike holder 'or keeper is preferably7 constructed of an integral sheet of su'itab e spring metal which is doubled upon itself at an intermediate point in order to constitute a clip 1. The clip consists of upper and lower spaced' members 2 and 3 that are connected by a side plate 4. When the keeper is applied to a rail 5, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the lower member 3 is interposed between the base flange 6"of the rail and the upper face of the tie 7, the said preferably slotted, as indicated at 8, 1n or er to embrace the spike 9. Inasmuch as the lower member 3 is adapted to embrace the spike, it will be observed that -the holder is efectually prevented from creeping or moving longitudinally of the rail. The upper member 2 extends across and bears upon the head of the Spike, and is relatively longer than the other member, so as to extend across the upper surface of the base flange, as shown. When in position, 'the extremity of the upper member is'arranged in close proximity to the web A10. l11 designates a tension plate which is integral with the extremity of the upper member and is angularly disposed relative thereto and projects upwardly and is adapted to be snapped under the head 12 of the rail, the tension plate then extending along the corresponding side of the web 10 and serving to brace the rail to a greater or less extent. v

It will beV obvious that in order to insure of the holder being retained in position, it

, is necessary to provide positive means for preventing the lateral displacement thereof. For this pur ose, the side plate 4 is preferably provi ed with an attaching ear 13 that outstands therefrom and is disposed in a plane preferably oblique to the plane of 'i of a screw 14 or like fastening element. In the practical use of a holder con-l structed in accordance with my invention,

`the latter is placed in position, after the spike has been driven into the tie in engagement with the base lang'e of the rail. '.lhe lower member 3 is then mserted between the base flange and the 1 upperface of the tie, so that the clip 1 embraces the base lan e and extends across the head of the spike. t is to be understood, however, that when pushing the holder laterally into position in this manner, the tension plate 11 is disposed in such position that its upper end bears against the head of the rail, so that the tension plate is s rung or bent by such lateral movement.V T e screw 14 is then inserted through the attaching 'ear 13 and embedded in the tie to maint-ain the keeper against lateral displacement. The parts then assume the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, with the upper member 2 in spaced relation to the base ange Iof the rail. In order to complete the attachment of the holder, it is merely necessary to take a suitable instrument and "press downwardly and inwardly upon the uppermost member 2 at the junction of the same with the tension plate 11, so as to admit of the tension. plate cleari the head 12 and snapping into position eneath the same and against. the web 10.

` By virtue of the arrangement of parts above described, it will be apparent that the tension plate braces the clip sov as to assist` in maintaining the spike against loosening movement as well asretaining the keeper in place against removal. Should -occaslon require that the holder be detached from the rail, as in event .of changing the gage of the `track o r the like, such may be quickly and conveniently accomplished by removing the fastening element' 14, whereupon the holder may be moved laterally sufficiently to disengage the lower member 3 from beneath the base iange of the rail, and thus entirely release the holder. y A y In another'embodiment of the invention,

' as illustrated in Fig. 4, the attaching ear-'13 ofthe side plate lis omitted, and the keeper is held against lateral displacement througl the instrumentality of an angle bar 15 that 4is formed with spaced openings 16 to admit o f its 'attachment to thetie in such a manner as to serve as a stop against which the side plate abuts.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawin it will be apparent that I have provider? an improved spike holder which not only retains the splke against loosening movement, but also constitutes a -housing or shield to prevent the elements from entering the tie through .the opening made by the spike. Attention is also particularly directed to the fact that the keeper may be stamped from v a. blank of spring material so as to be susceptible of being easily and chea ly manufactured so as to be placed upon t e market at a price not too great to prevent its general adoption.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim 1s:-

1. A spike holder embodying a spring member extendin over the base liange of the rail and yiel able downwardly to bear forcibly against the head of the spike, and means for holding said member un er stress.

2. As a new. article of manufacture, .a spike holder constructed of s ring metal and consisting of a clip embo ying spaced members, one of said members being slotted, and a tension plate disposed angularly at the extremity of the other member and extending away from the slotted member, for the purpose specified.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a spike holder comprising a clip consisting of spaced members and a plate connecting the same and formed with an outstanding attaching ear, one of the members being slotted, and a tension plate an larly dis posed at the extremity of the ot er member and extending 'away from the slotted member, for "the pur ose s ecifled.

A4f. A spike ho der a apted to have one of its `-opposite ends take under the rail base and its other end enga e the head of the rail, and arranged interme iate of its ends to extend over the head of the spike.

5. A spike holder comprising a clip adapted; to embrace the base ange of the rail and extend over the head of the spike, and means carried by the clip for engaging the head of the rail.

6. A s ike holder com rising a clip adapted to em race the base llinge of the rail and extend over the head of the spike, and engaging means carried by the clip and adapt- 'ed to snap under the head of the rail.

7 A s ike holder comprising a clip adapted to em race the base ange of the rail and extend over the head of the spike, and atension plate carried by the clip and designed to snap under the head of the rail.

8. A spike holder comprising a clip adapted to embrace the base iange of the rail and' extend over the head of the spike, enga ng means carried by the clip and ada te to `sna under the head of` the rail, an means 10. A spike holder comprising a clipadapted to take under the base ange of the rail and embodying a member arranged to extend over the head of the spike, and a tension platecarried by and integral with said member andl designed to sna into engagement with the head of the ral 11. A spike holder embodying a member extending over the head of the spike, means for attaching said memberto the tie, and engaging means carried by the member and adapted to snap under the head of the rail.

'12. A spike holder embodying a spring member extendin over the base flange of the rail and yielable downwardly to bear against the head of the spike, means for attaching the member on one side of the spike, and means disposed on-the opposite si e of the spike for holding the member under stress.

13. A spike holder embodying a spring member extending over the base ange of the rail and yieldable downwardly to bear against the head of the spike, attaching means for securing one end of the member to the tie, and means disposed at the oppositeend of the member for cooperating with the rail to'maintain the member under stress.

In testimony whereof I afix' my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' HERBERT o. CRIPPEN. [L 8.]

Witnesses:

W. N. WooDsoN, FREDERICK S. STILL. 

